Happy Women’s History Month! Our issues don’t always have a theme, but this one does: womanist theology and Anabaptism. This theme stands out as one that has allowed our team to learn and stretch our theological muscles. Womanist theology centers the perspectives and experiences of Black women.

The term “womanist” will be new for some, while for others it is a defining feature of their life and faith. The latter is true for several writers in this issue. I’m grateful that each took the time to share their talents and perspectives with us. 

I invite you to learn about womanism along with us.

Serendipitously, in this Women’s History Month I have the pleasure of introducing two new Anabaptist World team members: Jennie Wintermote, business manager; and Eileen Kinch, digital editor. 

Jennie is a member of First Mennonite Church in Newton, Kan., and splits her daytime hours between the Western District Conference Resource Library in North Newton, where she is the library director, and Anabaptist World. In her evenings, she loves caring for her family and supporting women impacted by betrayal trauma. 

Eileen participates at Methacton Mennonite Church in Norristown, Pa., and is a member of Keystone Friends (Quaker) Meeting in Bird-in-Hand, Pa. Splitting her time between Anabaptist World and Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s communication team, she understands writing and editing to be part of her spiritual calling.  

It’s exciting to have Jennie and Eileen join our team, and we are so fortunate they are willing to share their time and gifts. 

Since I’m in the business of content planning and creation, I receive quite a few newsletters of this sort. One email subscription I get daily is from Sojourners, called Verse and Voice. It includes a Bible verse, a quote from an individual, book or other media, and a short prayer. I appreciate its specificity to current events and holidays. 

For International Women’s Day, the voice was Jo March from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women: “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for.” 

If you’ve read Little Women, it’s easy to remember Jo’s story arc and the context in which she voices this truth. I hope that in this issue we can all bear witness to the minds, souls, ambition and talents of the women featured.